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Breech: This was actually the most difficult award to hand out. I thought about giving it to Denzel Ward or Derwin James, but instead, I went with Leonard and that's because he's been a sparkplug for a Colts defense that's flown under the radar for most of the year. Not only does Leonard lead THE ENTIRE NFL in tackles through eight weeks, but he also has four sacks and three forced fumbles on the season. Also, unlike Ward and James, who were both taken in the first round, Leonard was a steal as a second-round pick.

Brinson: Playing his tail off and impacting games in some pretty big ways.

Prisco: There was some doubt whether he'd be the same guy when he returned after missing all of last season. But he's the same guy. He's been a one-man band at times for the Colts — like the old days.

Brinson: He overcame so much and is playing well for a sneaky Colts team that could steal that division.

Breech: After Luck missed the entire 2017 season, I was starting to think he might not ever return to the NFL, but here he is and he's putting up absurd numbers. Luck is on pace to throw 46 touchdown passes, which would rank fifth all-time for a single-season (Or sixth all-time if Mahomes ends up throwing more than him).

Adam Schein: After missing all of last season, Luck is back — physically and mentally — and it is amazing for the NFL. He's making all the throws, completing 66 percent of his passes and currently ranking top 10 in the league in passing yards with 2,187. Luck's getting needed protection and balance. A healthy Andrew Luck is great for this sport.

Indianapolis Colts linebacker Darius Leonard really flashed in the preseason and that has carried over. Admittedly, his struggles in coverage are a reason he leads the NFL with 88 tackles, but he has been very good on a defense without much other talent to bank on. The list of candidates for this award is pretty deep; it’s a good rookie class.

Luck edges the voting over JJ Watt. He has rebounded from a troubling shoulder injury to lead all non-Mahomes quarterbacks in touchdowns, with 23 through eight games thus far. More impressively, Luck has evolved his game post-injury. He’s getting rid of the ball quicker than at any point in his career: his average time to throw is among the quickest in the league.

There are just enough glimpses of the old, swashbuckling Luck to bring a smile to your face. He will still extend a play and launch a strike downfield with defenders dripping off his body. It was a circuitous route, but Luck is now back to his best.

McAtee: I predicted that the Colts would win the AFC South, which ties into my prediction for Luck to win Comeback Player of the Year. After a season spent on the sideline recovering from a shoulder injury, Luck has been slinging the football like no one else to begin this season. If Indianapolis can claw back into the playoff race, it’ll be because of Luck’s return to prominence.

Mays: This an absolutely loaded category. J.J. Watt would be an excellent pick. Deshaun Watson has the Texans in first place. There are plenty of others. But I’m going with Luck. At one point, he was the future face of the league, and as recently as this spring, there were questions of whether he’d ever play again. He’s currently on pace for 4,374 yards and 46 touchdowns with a career-high 65.8 percent completion rate. I know he’s not launching rockets downfield anymore and the yards-per-attempt mark is lacking, but Luck is back, and that’s enough for me.

He’s the NFL’s all-time leading scorer now, 2,550 points and counting. And by kicking in a dome for home games rather than occasionally through the snow in Foxborough, Vinatieri, 45, is like the guy who moved into a retirement home in Florida.